Commercial Litigation Associate

Commercial Litigation Associate | 1-6 Years PQE | International Firm | Manchester

A rare chance to be a key figure in a small, bespoke Commercial Litigation team while standing on the platform of a large international firm. The team is deliberately compact, which means visibility, ownership and a realistic route upwards rather than a queue of senior lawyers ahead of you.

The Firm

This is a large international firm with a substantial UK presence and a significant Manchester office, which serves as the firm's largest and most important regional base outside of London. Commercial Litigation sits within a wider full-service platform, which means access to corporate, real estate, employment and finance colleagues when matters demand it.

What makes this role unusual is the shape of the team. Commercial Litigation here is a specialist, boutique‑style practice operating inside a firm of significant scale. Most litigation lawyers face a choice between the two: the autonomy and visibility of a small team, or the clients and resources of a large one. This is both. You will not be one associate among twenty, and your contribution will be obvious to the people who decide on promotions.

The firm's international network brings a dimension that most regional litigation practices cannot match. Expect cross‑border disputes, internationally connected clients and complex multi‑jurisdictional matters sitting alongside a strong domestic caseload.

The Role

You will advise an impressive client base on a broad range of commercial disputes from the firm's Manchester office, taking real ownership of your matters from an early stage. In a team of this size, that responsibility arrives quickly rather than in stages, and the visibility that comes with it is something that larger, more layered practices simply cannot offer.

The work is collaborative by nature. You will work closely with colleagues across the firm's wider practice areas on matters where litigation intersects with corporate, real estate or regulatory issues, and you will have real scope to develop your own client relationships and profile in the Manchester market as you grow within the role.

The caseload spans the full breadth of commercial disputes work including:

• Contractual disputes and breach of contract claims
• Shareholder and partnership disputes
• Professional negligence claims
• Fraud and asset recovery
• Injunction and urgent interim relief applications
• Insolvency‑related litigation
• High Court and appellate work
• Matters with a cross‑border or international dimension

The Ideal Candidate

• Qualified Solicitor with 1 to 6 years PQE with a background in commercial litigation
• Solid technical grounding across a broad range of commercial disputes
• Commercially minded and comfortable engaging with clients directly
• Able to manage a varied caseload with increasing autonomy as experience develops
• Ambitious, with progression firmly in view over the longer term

What's on Offer

• A key role within a small, specialist team at the firm's largest regional office
• Direct visibility with the people who decide on progression
• A realistic and unobstructed route towards senior associate and beyond
• International work through the firm's wider global network
• Room to build your own following and profile across the Manchester market
• Competitive salary and excellent benefits
• Hybrid working

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